Brake



March 8, 1932. M. w. MCCONKEY 1,348,253

- BRAKE Filed Sept. 17, 1928 IN V EN TOg.

Patented Mar. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MONTGOMERY W. MCGONKEYQOF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ABSIGHOB TO BENDIZ COMPANY, OF scum BEND, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ram Application filed September 17, 1988. Serial No. 806,414.

This invention relates to brakes, and is illustrated as embodied in an internal ezrpanding brake for an automobile. An ObJGCt of the invention is to provide simple lockmg meansfor the brake adjustment, preferaliliy by utilizing a centering device which yie ingly determines the released pos1t1on of the brake friction means.

' In one desirable arrangement, thead ustment is locked by a lever forming in eflect a locking pawl, this being especially advantageous when the adjustment 1s m the form of athreaded-device forming a floating connection between a pair of brake shoes, and as pointed out above I prefer to utihze this lever or its equivalent to center the friction means when the brake is released, for exam Is b formin it with wedge surfaces yielhingl y embracing a part of the ad ustment.

The aboye and other objects and features 1 of the invention, including various novel and desirable details of construction, will be apparent from the followin descrlption of the illustrative embodiment s own in the accompanying drawings, in which 5 Figure 1 is a vertical section through the brake just inside the head of the brake drum, and showingthe brake shoes m side elevation; Y

Figure 2 1s a partial section, on the line 22 of Figure 1, through the brake ad ustment;

Figure 3 is a partial section, at right angles to Figure 2 and on theline 3-3 of Figure 1, through the adjustment; and

v Figure 4 1s a partial sectlon corresponding to Figure 3, but showing a modified form of lever.

The illustrated brake includes a rotatable drum 10, at the open side of which is asupport suchas a backing plate 12,; and withm which is arranged the friction means of the brake. This particular friction means includes a pair of floating generally L-section stamped steel shoes 14 and 16, faced with the usual friction lining and so arranged that when the drumis turning clockwise the shoe 14 anchors on a fixed post 18 carried by the 50 backing plate, while when the drum is turnformed with transverse semi-cylindrical sockets receiving correspondingl shaped thrust blocks 28, forming part of t e brake adjustment, and into which there is threaded a right-and-left threaded adjusting member 30 having an operating collar 32 at its center, this collar being formed if desired with radial sockets 34 for a nail or other tool inserted throughan ope g 35 in the backin plate. Coil springs 36 sleeved on the ends 0% member 30, and confined between the flanges formin like 38 eld b means such as cotter pins 40 on the ends 0 member 30, serve to hold the shoes and adjustment together.

'Many of the details and structural features of the above-described brake are the invention of L. E. LaBrie, and are covered by his applications and patents. See, for ex- At their lower ends, shoes '14 and 16 are thevshoe'ends and washers or the ample, application No. 285,289, filed June 14, h

tion, by novel means shown as a lever 42,

shown as a forged lever in Figures 1-3, urged against. collar 32 by means such as acoil spring 44 teusioned between. the lever and the backing plate. Collar 32 is fbimed with rounded notches 46, defining teeth and in effect constituting collar 32 a ratchet engagin lever 42as a locking pawl. Thus lever 42 be the adjustment unless suflicient force is applied tocause the rounded notches 46 to form the lever tov ride over the adjacent teeth, thereby preventing unintended turning of the adjustment.

Lever 42 may be fulcrumed onapivot 48 carried by the backing plate, and therefore a does not shift with shoes 14 or 16 as they anchor against (post 18: or st 20 when the brake is ap l The en engaging collar 32 is forme with double wedge surfaces cmbracing the collar, and serving yieldingly to center collar 32 gand therefore the lower or connected. ends the shoes) when the brake is released.

' In Fi re 4 is shown a lever constructed of two ang e-section steel stampings 142 welded together back to back, and embracing collar 32 in such a manner as to confine it a ainst lateral movement. Lever" 142 and co ar 32 may be serrated to form yieldingly interlocking teeth. Except for the structure shown in Fi re 4, lever 142 may be the same in form an arrangement as lever 42.

While one illustrative embodiment has been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit the scope of the invention to that particular embodiment, or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A brake comprising, in combination, floating friction means, an adjusting device therefor, and a centering lever for the friction means cooperating with the adjusting de vice to lock said device in adjusted position.

2. A brake comprising, in combination, floating friction means, an adjusting d'evice therefor, a centering lever en ging the adjustin device, and means acting yieldingly on said lever to center the friction means when the brake is released including means to lock the adjusting device.

3. A brake comprising, in combination, friction means having two parts connected by an adjustment including a locking ratchet,

and a lever acting as a pawl engaging said ratchet and also arranged to center the friction means when the brake is released.

'4. A brake comprising, in combination, friction means having two parts connected by an adjustment including a locking ratchet. and a lever acting as a pawl engaging said ratchet and havi wedge surfaces engaging the ratchet and yie ding y acting through the adjustment to resist brake-applying movement of the friction means.

5. A brake comprising, in combination, floating friction means having two parts connected by a floating adjustment includmg a locking ratchet, and a lever mounted separately from the friction means and acting as a pawl engaging said ratchet and also arranged to center the friction means when the brake is released. i 6. A brake comprising, in combination, floating friction means having two parts connected by a floating adjustment including a locking ratchet, and a lever mounted separately from the friction means and actingas a pawl engaging said ratchet.

7. Abrake comprising, in combin ation,friction means having two parts connected by an adjustment including a locking ratchet, and a lever acting as a pawl engaging said ratchet and having wedge surfaces yieldingly acting to resist brake-applying movement of the friction means.

8. A brake comprising, in combination, a drum, a pair of shoes connected by a floating adjustment and arranged to anchor on one shoe when the drum is turning in one direction and on the other shoe when the drum is turning in the other direction, and yieldinglyoperated means arranged tourge the connected ends of the shoes toward their idle or brake-released positions including means for locking the adjustment.

9. A brake comprising, in combination, a

drum a backing plate, a pair of shoes connected by a floating adjustment and arranged to anchor on one shoe when the drum is turning in one direction and on the other shoe when the drum is turning in the other direction, 'and yieldingly-operated means carried by the backing plate and arranged to lock said adjustment and also arranged to urge the connected'ends of the shoes toward their idle or brake-released positions. 10. A brake com rising, in combination, a drum a backing p ate, a pair of shoes connected by a floating adjustment and arranged to anchor on ones oe when the-drum is turning in one direction and on the other shoe when the drum is turning in the other direction, and a yieldingly-operated lever pivoted on the backing plate and arranged to serve as a locking pawl for said adjustment and also arranged to urge the connected ends of the shoes-toward their idle or'brake-released positions.

11. A brake comprising, in combination, a drum, a backing plate, a pair of shoes connected by a floating adjustment and arranged to anchor on one shoe when the drum is turning in one direction and on the other shoe when the drum is turning in the other direction, and a yieldingly-operated lever pivoted on the backing plate. and arranged to serve as a locking pawl for said adjustment.

12. A brake com rising, in combination, a drum a backing p ate, a pair of shoes connected by a floating adjustment and arranged to anchor on one s 0e when the drum is turning in one direction and on the other shoe when the drum is turning in the other direction, and a yieldingly-operated lever pivoted on the backing plate and arranged to serve as a locking pawl for said adjustment and having diverging wedge surfaces embracing a part of the adjustment and urging the connected ends of the shoes toward their idle positions.

' 13. A brake comprisin va floating adjust-.

1e operating part a yieldingly-operated lever engaging saidpart and formed to interlock with said teeth, said lever having portions engaging opposite sides of said art and restrainlng lateral movement of the eating adjustment.

15. A brake comprisin a floating adjust-, ment including a rotata 1e operatmg part having ratchet teeth, in combination with a yieldingly-operated forged lever engaging saidhpartand formed to interlock with said teet In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

MONTGOMERY W. MCCONKEY. l5 

